Automatic assembly system employing first and second hammer mechanisms for insertion of workpieces

ABSTRACT

An assembly machine is provided for automatically inserting blade-like foil inserts in a torque converter turbine drum or similar article. The assembly mechanism includes automatic apparatus for accomplishing the requisite assembly motions, including moving a turbine drum which is placed upon a translatable rack to a preliminary position, moving the drum from the rack to a work position upon a supporting mandrel, stripping a foil insert from a feeding magazine, urging the stripped insert along guides for insertion into the drum, camming and hammering a first foil ear into a preliminarily inserted portion in the drum, thereby locating the foil in a preliminary position, urging the foil into its final assembled position in the drum with a simultaneous camming and hammering motion, angularly indexing the drum or housing to a successive position so as to receive the next blade-like foil insert, counting the number of angular indexing steps imparted to the drum, and moving the drum with its assembled blade-like foil inserts back to the rack and then out of the assembly mechanism when the requisite number of foils have been inserted.

Primary Examiner-Thomas H. Eager Attorney-Wolfe, Hubbard, Leydig, Voitand Osann United States Patent [151 3,681,837

Franklin I 11 Aug. 8, 1972 [54] AUTOMATIC ASSEMBLY SYSTEM [57] ABSTRACTEMPLOYING FIRST AND SECOND An assembly machine is provided forautomatically in- HAMMER MECHANISMS FOR serting blade-like foil insertsin a torque converter tur- INSERTION 0F WORKPIECES bine drum or similararticle. The assembly mechanism 72 Inventor; George E Franklin, Bekm,Wis includes automatic apparatus for accomplishing the requisiteassembly motions, including moving a tur- [73] Assigneei (iiddmss Lewisinc-i Fond du bine drum which is placed upon a translatable rack to Law,a preliminary position, moving the drum from the rack [22] Filed; June14 1971 to a work position upon a supporting mandrel,

stripping a foil insert from a feeding magazine, urging PP No; 152,619the stripped insert along guides for insertion into the drum, cammingand hammering a first foil car into a v 52 US. Cl. ..29/211 1)preliminarily inserted the dim"; iheieby 51 lm. Cl. ..B23q 7/10 a Purging.

f l D D l R R fOll into ltS final assembled posltlon In the drum Wllh asimultaneous camming and hammering motion, angularly indexing the drumor housing to a successive [56] References Cited position so as toreceive the next blade-like foil insert,

UNITED STATES PATENTS counting the number of angular indexing steps im-3,522,645 8/1970 Kennicott ..29/211 D x parted the drum the drum sembledblade-like foil inserts back to the rack and then out of the assemblymechanism when the requisite number of foils have been inserted.

14 Claims, 28 Drawing Figures PATENTED 8l972 3.681.837

- sum GlUF 14 PA TENTEDAuB 8 I972 SHEET 03 0F 14 PATENTEmus" 8 19723,881,837

T! i I i Eu m/mew/w? PATENTEDAUG 8 I972 SHEET 100F14 PNENTEU 8|9723.681.837 SHEET llOF 14 an A I as A azaza: flay/ma //V 1v AUTOMATICASSEMBLY SYSTEM EMPIJOYING FIRST AND SECOND HAMMER MECHANISMS FORINSERTION OF WORKPIECES RELATED APPLICATIONS Raymond C. Achterberg, Ser.No. 73,068, filed -on Sept. 17, I970, and assigned to Giddings & Lewis,Inc., assignee herein and Raymond C. Achterberg and Charles L. Bunker,Ser. No. 107,806, filed on Jan. 19, 1971, and assigned to Giddings &Lewis, lnc., assignee herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION clude dish-like turbine drums, eachresembling the outer half shell of a toroid centrally split in a planeperpendicular to the toroid centerline or axis. A ring of turbine foilsis assembled within this drum for importing or receiving fluid pressurein response to other parts of the torque converter. Complex turbines areprovided with foils which may be curved in up to three planes and whichmay be secured withinthe curved turbine at non-radial positions.

. A particularly difficult assembly problem arises when inserting thelast of a multiplicity of such turbine foils, for example, the last ofthirty or more, into the last unfilled assembly position in the drum orinto as assembly position between two previously inserted or assembledfoils located in immediately adjacent assembly posi-' tions, sincerelatively small amounts of work space are available for maneuvering thefoil and associated assembly tools. The problem may be compounded if, inorder to retain the foil in its final assembled position, ears formed onthe foil must be inserted into corresponding slots formed in the drum.Both the foil and the foil inserting work tools must move preciselyalong relatively confined paths in the confined work space as the foilis moved into its final assembly position.

Another difiicult assembly problem arises in fitting the foil cars intotheir final position within the drum slots. Slight dimensional variancesin foils and drums may create positional variances at preliminary foilassembly positions which must be eliminated as each foil is seated inits final assembly position in the drum. To eliminate these intermediatepositional variances, it may be advantageous to positively locate andstart the insertion of one foil ear into its corresponding drum slot.Thereafter, the foil may be knocked into its final s assembly positionby a mechanical blow which cams all the foil ears fully into thecorresponding drum slots.

Recently, assemblers such as those disclosed in Kennicott U.S. Pat. No.3,522,645, issued Aug. 4, 1970, and the aforesaid Achterberg andAchterberg et al. applications have presented methods and apparatus forassembling somewhat similar foils into somewhat similar drums.

It is an overall object of this invention to provide a method andassociated automatic assembly apparatus for assembling curvilinearworkpieces into a support structure at predetermined assembly positions.

It is another object to provide an automatic assembling apparatusrequiring a minimum amount of slow or intricate hand work to beperformed by the machine operator.

In a further aspect, the invention provides a turbine assemblingapparatus which causes each curvilinear foil being inserted to be drivenpositively into its final assembled position in the drum.

It is still another object to provide a reliable assembling apparatushaving synchronized and positively-acting assembling mechanisms whichwill not become misaligned or jammed during machine operation.

It is a further object to provide a turbine assembling apparatus whichis reliable and rugged in its design, yet which is'relatively low inmanufacturing, maintenance and operational costs.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent uponreading the following detailed description and upon reference to thedrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view showing the assembly system of thepresent invention in its general aspect;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view showing a portion of the turbine drumor similar foil support structure into which some, but not all, of thefoil-like inserts have been inserted;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view taken substantially along the line3-3 in FIG. 2, showing in further detail the relationship between thefoil and its mounting ears and the turbine drum as they appear when thefoil has been finally assembled in the drum;

FIG. 3a is a partial sectional view taken substantially 5 along line3a3a in FIG. 3 showing the location of one of the foil ears with respectto the surrounding foil structure;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but here illustratingother parts of the operating mechanism,

some of which are hidden from view in FIG. 1;

4 bine drum transfer rack, mandrel, and other mechanisms;

FIG. 7 is a partial plan view of the assembly machine showing the drumindexing and foil assembling mechanisms;

FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view taken substantially along line 8-8 ofFIG. 7 showing the fluid foils as they are carried in the assemblingsystem magazine;

FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view taken substantially along line 99 inFIG. 7 showing cam linkages for the stripper and hammer mechanisms andother structure;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary plan view showing in further detail the foilmagazine and foil stripper mechanism;

FIG. 1 1 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line11-11 in FIG. 10 showing the stripper mechanism, drum, and foils infurther detail;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line12-12 in FIG. 10 and showing in yet further detail the strippermechanism;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary plan view showing in further FIG. 14 is astop-action view showing the manner in which the fluid foil and anappended first ear are preliminarily seated within the turbine drum;

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line15-15 in FIG. 10, but partially broken away, showing in further detailthe drum, foil and foil preliminary seating mechanism;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 16-16 in FIG.15 and showing in further detail the drum, fluid foil, strippermechanism and foil preliminary seating mechanism;

FIG.'17 is a fragmentary plan view showing in further detail the turbinedrum, foils, and loading hammer mechanism;

FIG. 18 is a partial sectional view taken substantially along line 18-18in FIG. 17 and showing in further detail the drum, fluid foil andloading hammer mechanism;

FIG. 19 is a partial sectional view taken substantially along line 18-18in FIG. 17 and showing in further detail the foil, drum and loadinghammer mechanism as the foil is forced into its final assembly positionby the loading hammer;

FIG. 20 is apartial sectional view taken substantially along line 20-20in FIG. 17, showing the loading hammer slide mechanism;

FIG. 21 is a partial sectional view taken substantially along line 21-21in FIG. 17 showing the loading hammer slide mechanism;

FIG. 22 is a partial sectional view taken substantially along line 22-22in FIG. 17 showing in further detail the drum position retaining dragplunger;

FIG. 23 is a fragmentary plan view showing in further detail the drumindexing mechanism;

FIG. 24 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 24-24 inFIG. 23 showing in detail the cammechanism by which the illustrated drumindexing mechanism is actuated;

FIG. 25 is a partial sectional view taken substantially along line 25-25in FIG. 23 showing in further detail the turbine drum indexingmechanism;

FIG. 26 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line26-26 in FIG. 23 and showing in yet further detail the drum indexingmechanism; and

FIG. 27 is a cam chart illustrating the relative timing of the motionsof the various cam-actuated drives in the apparatus of the presentinvention.

While the invention will be described in connection with a preferredembodiment and procedure, it will be understood that it is not intendedto limit the invention to that particular embodiment or procedure. Onthe contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modificationsand equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of theinvention as expressed in the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Turning first to FIGS. 1 and 4, there isshown an assembler machine 30 consisting in general of a base portion 31and an upright portion 32 to which a control panel 33 is attached. Inoperation, a workpiece such as a turbine drum 40 to be filled with foils50 is manually transferred by the operator from a stack to translatablerack 60 for movement into a preliminary position 70. A mandrel 80 istelescoped or moved axially upward to engage the bottom of the drum 40and move it into a work position 90. The foils 50 are stacked in amagazine and are stripped from the magazine one at a time by a strippermechanism 110. The stripper mechanism urges the foil toward the drum 40along a foil guide cam (FIG. 11). As each foil enters the drum, a firstfoil hammer a strikes the foil, driving the foil into a preliminaryassemblyposition (FIGS. 14-16). The stripper mechanism is then partiallywithdrawn and the foils 50 are hammered or snapped into their finalassembly position by a second hammer mechanism (FIGS. 17 and 18). Thestripper mechanism 110 and the second hammer mechanism 130 are thenwithdrawn from the drum, and the drum is angularly indexed to anadjacent foilreceiving position by a drum index mechanism (FIGS. 23-26).When the drum 40 has been indexed through a full revolution, and a fullset of foils have been installed within the drum, the mandrel 80 iswithdrawn and the drum 40 is re-seated upon the translatable rack 60 formovement to an eject position 150. The fully assembled turbine drum andfoil set is then dropped upon rails for movement to a pickup orsubsequent work station. For powering and synchronizing these machinemotions, a drive means such as a motor is provided with a drive trainfor driving a cam shaft and other mechanisms.

As the description proceeds, it will become apparent that the presentinvention could be utilized to insert many different types of workpiecesinto many different types of workpiece supports. However, it has beenfound that the invention finds particularly advantageous use, but by nomeans exclusive use, in inserting blade-like fluid foils, for example,turbine blades, into an annular, toroidally shaped foil supportstructure or drum.

In the illustrative form of the invention, the foils take the form ofcurvilinear fluid foils 50 having a general shape comprising slightlymore than half of an irregular frustoconical section, as best seen inFIG. 3. Each foil 50 includes a central portion 51 and two contiguouswing portions 52 and 53. The upper or apicad edge 54 of each foil 50defines a central channel-shaped opening 55 terminating in two interiorears 56 and 57. The base edge 58 of each foil is shaped to abut thesurface of the drum 40. A plurality of exterior or mounting ears 59a,59b, 59c and 59d are formed on the base edge 58 of the foil and arepositioned thereon for reception in corresponding slots 41a, 41b, 41cand 41d formed in the drum 40. As shown in FIG. 2, it will be observedthat the slots 41a-41d are disposed in four concentric circular arrayswith the outer array having a plurality of equally spaced slots 41acorresponding in number to the number of foils to be mounted within thedrum 40, and the three inner arrays respectively having like numbers ofequally spaced slots 41b, 41c and 41d.

Each foil 50 is secured within the drum 40 with a snap fit by the ears59a-59d. To this end, the ears 59a, 59b, 59d are formed in the plane ofthe contiguous portions of the foil 50, while the third ear 590 is bentinwardly from the plane of the contiguous portions of the foil 50 towardthe axis of the frustoconical section, as shown particularly in FIG. 3a.

For receiving the drum 40 and moving it toward the work position 90, thetranslatable rack 60 is provided in a manner similar to that disclosedin the aforementioned Kennicott US. Pat. No. 3,522,645. Beforecommencement of machine operation, the translatable rack 60 is locatedin a drum-receiving position as illustrated in FIG. 4. The machineoperator obtains an empty drum 40, as from a stack 40a, and places itupon the rack 60 between two transporter pads 61, as illustrated in FIG.5. The operator may then actuate the machine control panel 33 forautomatic operation.

The drum 40 is thereupon moved by the rack 60 to a preliminary position70. Movement of the translating rack 60 upon command of the controlpanel 33 is here accomplished by a power fluid cylinder 62 equipped witha piston rod terminating in a toothed rack 63. Motion of the rack 63 istransmitted through a gear 64 and axle 65 to pinion gears 66 which meshwith the toothed underside of I the translatable rack 60, as seenparticularly in FIGS. 4-6. To insure correct linear motion of the rack60, guide members 67 are provided. Limit switches 68 and 69 are providedto sense the position of the rack 60 and, through appropriate circuitry,to terminate the motion of the power cylinder and the connectedtranslatable rack 60 when the rack 60 has reached its full-right orfully left position.

When the drum 40 has been translated to the left as seen in FIG. 4 toreach its preliminary position.70, and rack translational motion hasbeen indicated as completed by the limit switch 69, the mandrel 80 isautomatically moved from a retracted position as seen in FIG. 4 to anupper-projected position as seen in FIG. 1. The rack 60 thereafter isreturned to its fully right position in readiness to receive the nextdrum 40 from the stack 40a. In the form of the invention shown by way ofexample in FIG. 6, mandrel projectionresults from actuation of a fluidpower cylinder 81. A fully down sensing limit switch 82 and a fully upsensing limit switch 83 are provided for engaging a finger 84 mounted onthe mandrel 80 and for sensing the mandrel location to provideappropriate operation of the automatic circuitry (not shown). Forguiding the mandrel 80 in its axial projection and retraction motion, anest cylinder 85 (FIG. 6) is provided.

To engage the drum 40 and support it in its work position 90, themandrel 80 is provided with a head 86 having an annular seat 87 (FIG.6). As the drum 40 is forced upward from its preliminary position 70 toits work position 90, the drum 40 is thrust into engagement with a dragand hold down finger 91 and drag and hold down rollers 92 and 93 as seenin FIGS. 17, 21 and 22. It is the function of this drag finger 91 topositionally hold the drum 40 on the seat 87 and to prevent the rotationof the mandrel 80 and supported drum 40 while the foils 50 are beinginserted therein. The drag finger 91 comprises a foot member 95 which ismounted for resilient engagement with the top of the drum 40, as by theillustrated pin and spring arrangement 96 (FIG. 22), which may beconveniently mounted upon a support bracket 97. The drag roller devices92 and 93 (FIG. 21) are similarly mounted for holding the drum 40 on theseat 87, but are provided with respective guide pins 98 and rollers 99to allow easy rotation of the drum 40 upon the mandrel when the draginduced by the drag finger is overcome in a positive manner by the indexmechanism 140.

When the drum 40 is positioned and secured at its work position 90, thefoils 50 are stripped from a magazine 100 (FIGS. 1 and 8) and insertedinto the drum 40. For carrying the stacked foils 50, the magazine 100includes a first guide 101 for engaging one ear 59a, a second guide 102for supporting the lower foil edge 58, a third guide 103 for supportingthe opposite wing 53 and ear 59d, and a fourth guide 104 for retainingthe upper extremity of the wing 53. These guides are mounted upon themachine superstructure by bolts 105 or other means to provide easy andrapid adjustment of the guides 101-104 so that the foils 50 will besecurely supported in the designed position and yet will slide easilydown the magazine to the stripper mechanism 110. As best seen in FIG. 1,the exemplary magazine 100 is inclined to the vertical, thereby causingthe foils 50 to move, by their own weight, to the bottom or strippingend 106 of the magazine for ultimate insertion into the drum 40. It iscontemplated that the machine operator will monitor the magazine 100,and will load a new supply of foils 50 when the existing supply beginsto run low. Provision is made for retaining the bottom foil 50 in themagazine 100 when the stripper mechanism 110 is not positioned adjacentthe magazine end 106. To accomplish this, an adjustable hook 106a (FIG.13) is located to avoid interfering with the motion of the stripper 110,while engaging the bottommost foil 50 and holding it in place. To insureproper movement of each foil 50 along the foil guide 120, each foil isengaged by the stripper mechanism 110 at a plurality of locations. Thus,as best seen in FIGS, 11, 12 and 13, the stripper mechanism 110 includesa stripper block 111 provided with a pad 113 for engaging the tops of afoil wing 53. A projecting engagement element 114 is carried upon thefront of the stripper block 111 for engaging the central portion 51 ofthe foil and for providing a pivot point about which the wings 52 and 53of the foil may be rotated. For ensuring that no more than a single foil50 is engaged for downward motion along the foil guide by the stripperblock 111, the pad 113 and the engagement element 114, are provided withcutout portions, 113a and 1140, respectively. These cutout portionsdefine foil engagement surfaces having a depth equal to the thickness ofonly a single foil.

The stripper block 111, pad 113, and engagement element 114, togetherwith a guide 115, are vertically moved along a pair of tracks 116carried upon the superstructure by an appropriately mounted connectingline 117 and a stripper lever 118 (FIGS. 9 and 11). The lever 118 ismounted for oscillatory rotation about a fixed pivot 1 19 on theapparatus superstructure.

For moving the foregoing linkage in a manner to withdraw the strippermechanism upwardly, as seen in FIG. 9, a cam follower 131 mounted uponthe stripper lever 118 is engaged and forced correspondingly upwardly bya cam wheel 122. Downward foil insertive motion of the skipper is causedby a biasing means 123. As here illustrated the biasing means includes acylinder containing a permanent charge of compressible fluid, which,upon expansion, rotates the lever 118 about the pivot 119 in acounter-clockwise direction. Subsequent clockwise rotation of lever 118resulting from rotation of the cam 122 causes re-compression of thefluid carried in the biasing means 123.

In accordance with one of the important aspects of the invention, thefoil 50 is guided along the stripper guides 120 and is therebytemporarily rotated for insertion into a preliminary assembly positionin the drum 40. This rotation is accomplished as best illustrated inFIGS. 10-16. As the stripper block 11 begins its downward motion, a.foil 50 is stripped from the magazine '100 and is urged downward alongthe foil guide 120 by the engagement pads 113 and 114 (FIGS. 11-13). Anoutboard wing guide cam 125 is provided with an inclined cam surface125a which forces the outboard foil wing 52 to rotate about theengagement element 114. Such rotating motion about an axis immediatelyadjacent the foil, as illustrated in FIGS. 14a and 14b, causes theoutboard wing 52 and its appended ear 59a to be moved or to swing intoposition inside the circumference of the drum 40, thereby positioningthe ear 59a directly opposite its corresponding drum slot 41a when thefoil 50 has been moved to the extreme lower end of the outboard wingguide cam 125. Positive rotation and foil contact with the cam surfacesis insured by the relative position of the magazine and stripper. Moreparticularly, the slight offset between the engagement element 114 andfoil guide 120 urges the outer foil ear 59a into engagement with theguide surface125a (FIG. 14).

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, as the stripperblock 111 completes its descent and the foil 50 completes its rotation,the ear 59a is started into the corresponding drum slot 41a. This isaccomplished by a first stripper 1250 which is rotatably mounted on thestrippr slide 111. The hammer striking motion is provided by a hammercam lug 125d which engages a cam plate 125e as the stripper block 111nears the end of its downward travel, as best seen in FIG. 15. As thetripper block 111 is returned to its uppermost position the hammer isrepositioned to deliver another blow by the camming action of the camlug 125d upon the stripper block tracks 116.

As soon as the foil 50 has been inserted down into the drum 40 and hasreached its preliminary position, the stripper block 111 is positivelyand upwardly withdrawn from the foil for a limited distance by the therocker arm 136. The positive or forward motion of the hammer pin 131 iscaused by the biasing means 139. Thus, should this mechanism becomejammed the cam followerl37 will merely be held away from the cam wheel138 by the jammed parts, thereby preventing damage to the assembler.

positive action of cam 122 and cam follower 121. This limited withdrawalallows the foil to be driven from its preliminary assembly position intoits final position.

For moving the foil from its preliminary position to its final positionand positively seating the foil 50 within the drum 40 a second hammermechanism 130 is provided. In the illustrated embodiment, this hammermechanism includes, as may be seen in FIGS. 17-20, a reciprocatinghammer head 131 carried for translating motion upon a slide 132 carriedin guides 133 which are in turn mounted upon the apparatussuperstructure.

Proper seating of the inboard foil wing 52 is assured by aligning theguides 133 and hammer motion with the inboard wing ear slots 41c and41d. The slide 132 and hammer head 131 are moved toward and away fromthe preliminarily positioned foil 50 by a linkage including a bell crank134. To convert this rotary bell crank motion into linear motion in theslide 132, scotch gearing 138 is provided between the bell crank 134 andpin hammer slide 132.

For actively causing the positive striking motion of the hammer pin 131,a biasing means 139 is attached to It is the function of the hammer head131 to strike the top of the inboard wing 53 so as to force that wing 53in a direction radially outward of the drum 40 and also rotationallyalong the drum 40, and thereby to positively seat the inboard ears 59b,59c and 59d in the corresponding slots 41b, 41c and 41d, as best seen inFlGS'.-16 and 17. To insure that the foil is properly and positivelyseated in its final assembly position within the drum, the hammer head131 is provided with a forked or V-shaped camrning surface 1311;. Anymisalignment of the inboard wing 53 and attached ears 59c and 59d iseliminated as the foil is engaged and camrned into the center of theV-shaped notch 131a. Motion of the foil is positively halted in thefinal assembly position by abutment against the guide 120. The foil 50is thus slightly deformed and is finally seated or assembled into thedrum 40 with a positive snap fit.

After the foil 50 has been finally positioned within the drum 40, thehammer mechanism is withdrawn so that the drum 40 can be rotatablyindexed about its axis to allow a succeeding foil 50 to be insertedtherein. To accomplish this indexing motion, the index mechanism 140seen particularly in FIGS. 23-26 is provided.

For engaging the drum and rotating it about its axis and the coincidentmandrel axis, an index pin 141 is moved in a generally rectangular path.During machine operation, the index pin 141 is first inserted into oneof the outermost slots 41a in the drum, and then translated in adirection generally perpendicular to the inserting motion to rotate thedrum upon the mandrel head 86 about the axis of the drum and mandrel.The pin is then extracted from the slot 41a and finally translatablyreturned to its first position for subsequent reinsertion into asucceeding slot 41a as seen in FIG. 23.

To position the index pin 141 in its drum engaging location, the pin 141is secured, as by a set screw, to a holder 142 which is resilientlymounted in a carrier 143, as seen in FIG. 26. The carrier 143 is mountedin turn upon a bridge 144 which is joumaled for rotational and axialmovement along a bridge shaft 145.

Axial motion of the bridge 144 along the index shaft 145 to produce therequisite indexing and pin return motion is caused by the motion of a omfollower 146 and its engagement with the face of a face cam 147 carriedupon the cam shaft 190. The motion of the cam follower 146 istransmitted through a rocker arm 148 and a connecting link 149 to a stud150 mounted upon the bridge 144. A positive-acting biasing means, hereillustrated as a spring 151, is also secured to the bridge 144 fordrawing the bridge and carrier index pin 141 in its positive indexingdirection. 'Ihus, should the machine become jammed, the cam follower 146will simply remain retracted from engagement with the face cam 147, theaxial motion of the bridge 144 will not be produced.

Rotational motion of the bridge 144 about the bridge shaft 145 requiredto produce the requisite pin insertion and extraction motion istransmitted via a camdriven linkage shown in FIGS. 23-25. This linkage,as illustrated, includes a cam follower 152 which engages the surface ofa cam 153, a connecting link 154, a finger 155, a separate rockingbearing 156, and a cam lever 157 having a female cam surface 158 mountedor formed thereon. An offset cam follower 159, attached to the bridge144, directly causes rotational inserting and extracting motion of thebridge 144 and the bridge mounted index pin 141. Again, a biasing meanssuch as a spring 161 is provided to cause the forward insertion motionof the index pin 141 into the drum 40; the cam and follower linkage152-155 are arranged to provide the extracting motion. Should the devicebecome jammed, the parts will remain in the extracted position and willnot move against the forward urging of the resilient spring or biasingmeans 161.

Synchronous motion of the above-described parts is required to achievethe desired automatic assembly of the foils in the drum. Thissynchronous motion is achieved by means of the cams carried upon the camshaft 190 in a manner particularly indicated in FIG. 27. At an initialpoint, the stripper slide 111 begins to strip the foil 50 from themagazine 100 and force the foil into its preliminary insert positionwith the drum 40. As the stripper slide 111 nears its preliminary insertposition and the carried foil is partially inserted in the drum, thefirst hammer 1250 is rotated and the second hammer head 131 is urgedforward toward the foil. To

' motion with the rack. The rack 60 is thus withdrawn retain thepreliminarily inserted foil in the proper position for strikingengagement by the second hammer head 131, the stripper slide 111 is thenpartially withdrawn to a holding position. The second hammer head 131then strikes the foil 50 and forces it from its preliminary into itsfinal position, and remains engaged with the foil 30 while the stripperslide 111 is fully withdrawn, thereby preventing accidental subsequentdislodgement. Simultaneously with the initial downward motion of thestripper slide, the index pin 141 is inserted into a slot 41a in thedrum and moved axially along the index shaft 145, thereby rotatablyindexing the drum 40 to receive the descending foil.

After a complete set of foils has been assembled in the drum, an emptydrum is exchanged for the full or completed drum assembly at the workposition 90. The appropriate timing for this exchange is determined by acounter 162 (see FIG. 7) which counts the number of indexing andinsertion motions made by the cam operated devices. A clutch 161 isprovided to disengage the cam actuated devices from the continuouslyrotating motor 170 and drive train 180 while drums are being exchangedat the work position 90. When a foil has been inserted in each of thefoil receiving positions within the drum, and the drum has beenangularly indexed through a full revolution upon the rotatable mandrel80, the mandrel 80 is automatically retracted. This mandrel retractionlowers the drum 40 from its work position 90 to its preliminary position70 upon the waiting rack 60. The rack 60 is then indexed to the left, asseen in FIG. 4, and the now-filled drum is thereby carried to the leftfor engagement by stops 163 and 164 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) while a new drumis simultaneously moved into the preliminary position 70. Thereafter,the mandrel 80 is again projected to raise the new drum 40 to the workposition 90, and the rack 60 is again infrom underneath the completeddrum 40 and the drum is allowed to fall upon the rails for movement awayfrom the assembler to another work station or pickup point.

The following is claimed as invention:

1. The method of assembling curved workpieces in a curved supportstructure comprising the steps of:

a. positioning the support structure in a work station;

b. stripping a stacked workpiece from a magazine;

0. moving the workpiece in a straight line path toward the supportstructure;

(1. rotating the workpiece,

e. urging the workpiece into a preliminary assembly position, and

f. urging the workpiece into a relatively deformed final assemblyposition.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the workpiece issimultaneously rotated as it is moved toward the support structurethrough its straight line path.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the workpiece rotatedabout an axis immediately adjacent the workpiece as the workpiece movesinto its preliminary assembly position.

4. A method of inserting a curvilinear winged and cared fluid foil intoa drum member, including the steps of:

a. engaging the foil stacked in a magazine by a stripper member at aplurality of locations;

b. stripping the foil from the magazine by moving the stripper at anangle to the axis of the magazine;

0. rotating the foil for insertion into the drum while simultaneouslymoving the foil toward the drum;

d. preliminarily positioning the foil in the drum member;

e. partially retracting the stripper from engagement with thepreliminarily inserted foil;

f. hammering the foil into a finally assembled position in the drummember; and

g. rotating the drum to a subsequent assembly position.

5. A method according to claim 4 including the step of hammering theinboard wing of the foil in a direction parallel to the finallyassembled position of the inboard wing.

6. method according to claim 4, including the steps of preliminarilyinserting a foil into the drum by hammering the foil with a first hammermeans and finally assembling the foil in the drum by hammering the foilwith a second hammer means.

7. A method according to claim 6 including the step of causing hammeringmotion in the first hammer means by moving the stripper member.

8. An apparatus for assembling cuvilinear fluid foils into a foilsupport structure disposed in a work station, the combination of:

stripper means for engaging said foil at a plurality of locations andurging the foil toward the foil support structure;

guide means for guiding the foil along a predetermined path leading tothe foil support structure; and

1. The method of assembling curved workpieces in a curved support structure comprising the steps of: a. positioning the support structure in a work station; b. stripping a stacked workpiece from a magazine; c. moving the workpiece in a straight line path toward the support structure; d. rotating the workpiece, e. urging the workpiece into a preliminary assembly position, and f. urging the workpiece into a relatively deformed final assembly position.
 2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the workpiece is simultaneously rotated as it is moved toward the support structure through its straight line path.
 3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the workpiece rotated about an axis immediately adjacent the workpiece as the workpiece moves into its preliminary assembly position.
 4. A method of inserting a curvilinear winged and eared fluid foil into a drum member, including the steps of: a. engaging the foil stacked in a magazine by a stripper member at a plurality of locations; b. stripping the foil from the magazine by moving the stripper at an angle to the axis of the magazine; c. rotating the foil for insertion into the drum while simultaneously moving the foil toward the drum; d. preliminarily positioning the foil in the drum member; e. partially retracting the stripper from engagement with the preliminarily inserted foil; f. hammering the foil into a finally assembled position in the drum member; and g. rotating the drum to a subsequent assembly position.
 5. A method according to claim 4 including the step of hammering the inboard wing of the foil in a direction parallel to the finally assembled position of the inboard wing.
 6. A method according to claim 4, including the steps of preliminarily inserting a foil into the drum by hammering the foil with a first hammer means and finally assembling the foil in the drum by hammering the foil with a second hammer means.
 7. A method according to claim 6 including the step of causing hammering motion in the first hammer means by moving the stripper member.
 8. An apparatus for assembling cuvilinear fluid foils into a foil support structure disposed in a work station, the combination of: stripper means for engaging said foil at a plurality of locations and urging the foil toward the foil support structure; guide means for guiding the foil along a predetermined path leading to the foil support structure; and first hammer means for striking the foil; said stripper means, guide means and first hammer means acting upon the foil to linearly and rotatively displace the foil for assembly into the foil support structure in a preliminary position.
 9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said first hammer means is carried by said stripper means and is operated by the motion of said stripper means as said stripper means urges the foil toward the foil support structure.
 10. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said stripper means is provided with a plurality of foil engagement means for engaging the foil and urging it along the guide means, at least one engagement means providing a fulcrum about which the foil may be rotated.
 11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10 including a stationary foil guide member and a resilient member carried by the stripper means for urging the foil into contact with the stationary foil guide member.
 12. Apparatus for assembling curvilinear winged and eared fluid foils into a foil support struCture disposed in a work station, comprising, in combination: a. means for supporting said foil support structure in said said work station in an initial foil receiving position; b. means for supporting a plurality of fluid foils in stacked relation; c. stripper means for stripping foils one at a time from said support means and moving the stripped foil toward said foil support structure; d. guide means for guiding each stripped foil one at a time toward a predetermined preliminary assembly position within said foil support structure; e. first hammer means for urging each stripped foil into the predetermined preliminary assembly position; second hammer means linearly translatable for urging said preliminarily assembled foil into a final assembly position in said foil support structure; and g. indexing means for indexing said foil support structure from said initial foil receiving position into a new foil receiving position after each foil has been finally inserted into said structure.
 13. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said guide means is located for rotating said foil structure about a point on said stripper means as said foil is moved toward said foil support structure.
 14. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said second hammer means is provided with a V-shaped engagement surface for engaging an inboard wing of said foil and said second hammer means being positioned for urging said wing and said foil in a direction radially outwardly of and rotationally along and axially into said foil support structure into a final assembly position. 